How to… make a Fabric Mâché Bowl!

May 7, 2010

We all know (and, erm, love?) paper mâché – all that lovely gooey newspaper creating weird and wonderful new things! A few weeks ago, I came across fabric mâché at Dear Fii’s blog. Using fabric to make a bowl instead of newspaper! What an ingenious way of using up old bits of fabric!

So, I quickly gave it a go and made a little bowl out of some old jeans (scroll down). I am happy with the result, but it doesn’t have quite the same oooh factor as when you use “softer” fabric. So I had another go.

Remember, my no sew bunting? Out came, literally, the scraps from that project. They were only really enough for one layer of the bowl. So what do I do? Use some “new fabric” and cut it up? Kind of defeats the purpose! I then remembered that in my scrap bag, I have an old pillow case. So I decided to make the inside of my bowl white and the outside “colourful”. I decided that look a bit plain, compared to the outside, so decorated the inside too. So.

How to… make a Fabric Mâché Bowl!

1) Materials: Strips of fabric, PVA glue (use children’s glue), scissors, clingflim and a bowl, an old plate to work on

2) Cover bowl in clingfilm (else you work will stick to it). Cover clingfilm with watered down glue (not too watered down)

3) Layer with “soggy” fabric – as I chose white fabric, it doesn’t matter which way up you do it. However if you have patterned fabric, make sure the patter is face down. Make sure you cover the whole bowl at least once.

4) Add outside layer. This time make sure the pattern looks up. A total of 3 layers (of facing down and up fabric) should be enough!

5) Let it dry (may take overnight)

6) Ease out off bowl (the cling film should help, ease the clingfilm off the bowl and then remove it from the fabric bowl) and trim edges if you wish (they can look quite pretty if you leave it “rough”)

7) As my “white” was very “white” I decided to decorate the inside and cut out some patterns from my fabric remains. On the denim bowl, I decided to add a ribbon, I had to use clothe pegs to help keep it in place (keep re-adjusting clothe pegs, so that they don’t stick to the final bowl!!!)

8 ) Use some more PVC glue to glue the shapes in – cover both sides of the shapes to get a nice smooth and flat finished. Let dry and finished!

I am pretty certain that you can make ANYTHING out of fabric the way you can with paper mâché. Let your imagination be the limit!

With the denim one, I am sure, I used a little more glue and the finish is a little more “rough and ready”. But still a great way to recycle and old pair of jeans!!

I did something like this, thanks to your tutorial.
I was so glad to be able to use my favorite holidaytrousers
made of African-printings……..instead of having to throw it
away.
Next it will be a bowl of my favorite jeans, don’t fit anymore.
Thanks for this great idea!http://riccreaties.wordpress.com/

Thinking of doing this with the children in my class as Christmas gifts. Does each basket need 6 layers of fabric? 3 facing up and 3 facing down? Can any fabric be used? I have a lot of metallic and lace fabrics that I think would be nice especially for a holiday bowl. Any advice would be great! Thanks.